French Quarter Funk: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

$9.00 USD

French Quarter Funk: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Name: French Quarter Funk: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-48214S
Price: 9.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Charlton Underwood / arr. Zachary Smith

Grade: 1.5 (Easy)

Item: 00-48214S

$9.00

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Oh yeah, you are in New Orleans! French Quarter Funk arranged by Zachary Smith is very hip, funky, and simple to rehearse and perform. Played around 168 BPM, written solos are provided for alto 1, trumpet 1, and the trumpet 1 range is written to F top line. Optional flute and vibes parts too. This is the coolest and funkiest easy chart you'll find anywhere! (4:10) This title available in MakeMusic Cloud.

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Series: First Year Charts for Jazz Ensemble

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 24

UPC: 038081556994

SKU: 00-48214S

More about this title

Why we love this

Zachary Smith's arrangement captures the swagger of New Orleans funk without demanding virtuosity from first-year ensemble players. The written solos for alto 1 and trumpet 1 give section leaders something memorable to sink their teeth into, while the optional flute and vibes parts let you customize the color to match your instrumentation. At Grade 1.5, this reads cleanly but grooves seriously, making it the kind of chart that gets genuine energy from students who might otherwise feel like they're grinding through fundamentals.

What to expect

Immediate, infectious, and utterly grounded in New Orleans tradition. The arrangement swings hard without sacrificing accessibility, evoking a French Quarter street brass band with a modern jazz ensemble sensibility. Students feel the hip factor the moment they lock into the groove.

Who it's for

Directors building a first-year jazz ensemble curriculum who want a chart that teaches solid fundamentals while feeling genuinely cool to play. This works especially well for mixed-ability ensembles where some students are new to jazz and others bring more experience, since the arrangement accommodates optional parts and featured solos without isolating less experienced players.

How to get the most out of it

Lock in the groove early by having the rhythm section (drums, bass, piano if available) rehearse the shuffle feel independently before the full ensemble joins. The funkiness lives in the pocket, not in rushing the eighth-note subdivision.
Give alto 1 and trumpet 1 space to voice their solos distinctly. Mark dynamics and articulation clearly in your parts so the soloists know whether they're laying back or pushing out front.
Balance the optional parts strategically. If you have strong flute and vibes players, those colors brighten the arrangement considerably, but the core chart functions beautifully without them if your roster doesn't include those instruments.
Keep the tempo steady at 168 BPM. A metronome click during early rehearsals helps inexperienced players resist the temptation to rush the funk feel.

How to use it

Program this early in the jazz ensemble season (winter concert works well) to build ensemble confidence and establish that jazz rehearsals are about finding pocket and feel, not just reading notes. Pair it with a ballad and a swing standard to show the range of the ensemble's ability to students and families unfamiliar with what first-year jazz can sound like.